You’re here because you love playing slots, right? We do too! But sometimes, sadly, funds don’t stretch so far and this hobby can become prohibitive. Sticking to a budget is smart with any form of gambling, but that doesn’t mean you have to go cold turkey on the slots! There are ways and means to enjoy a little free play.

This page will explain what free play means in terms of slots, then go over finding free play slots, what the benefits are and why they’re important. Don’t hang up your slots hat just yet, because there’s still a lot of fun to be had.

 

WHAT ARE FREE PLAY SLOTS?


Free play slots are simply slot games that don’t cost you money to play- it’s that simple. The trade-off is that you also can’t (typically) win any real money on them. You play with points, to win points. That may seem pointless (ironically) to some veteran gamblers, as for many players the attraction of slots is to win cash, but they serve a few very important purposes.
Free play slots come in two forms- either by playing slots on regular casino sites in ‘demo mode’ or by joining sites that specialise in free slots, which are also called ‘social casinos’.
Demo mode is probably the most obvious choice for typical slot gamers, for three reasons. The first is that if you’re already a member of a slots site, you don’t have to do anything more than just pop onto your usual games and look for a demo option. Note that not all sites offer this! The second is that if you don’t already have a favourite site, playing demo mode is a good way to check a site out. The third is that you get to play the games you’ll see on regular slot sites, whereas social casinos tend to have a different set of slots.
Naturally, the last point there is also a strength for social casinos, depending on your point of view. Some players enjoy them for the unique range of games. Typically, these sites are joined through a Facebook account and of course there’s no age check or verification needed because they only play for fun. No gambling takes place, you just earn points and spend them. Some sites also let you trade them for prize draw entries, so there is a slight shot at winning something.
 

HOW DEMO OR FREE PLAY SLOTS CAN HELP YOU


Demo or free play slots can really be useful for regular slots gamers, but they do get overlooked. The reason why you should remember this option is simple: demo does exactly what it says on the tin! When you check out a site, look at the lobby and see if the games have a ‘demo’ or ‘free’ button as well as ‘play’. This means you can play the slot on demo mode, using points instead of cash. They aren’t worth anything, but they do let you preview the slot.

This allows you to find out if you like the music, animation and feel of the game before using any money. Think of it as a review tool. It also shows you how slots play on that particular site, because not all are the same. For example, some sites load slots on a basic pop-up window (very fast but a bit boring). Others give you a matching background, with a sleek overlay that has shortcuts to more games, depositing and support. Some show game info or let you play more than one game at once. These are things that affect your enjoyment and aren’t obvious until you load a slot.
 

WHY IS DEMO PLAY IMPORTANT?


Demo play is considered important because it’s a great tool for responsible gaming. When you still have the itch to play, but you’re out of money or near to your budget, having a go on demo is a way to still entertain yourself and pass some time, without spending any more money. So long as you don’t give in to temptation, a bit of free play won’t hurt your wallet.
 

WHERE YOU CAN PLAY FREE PLAY SLOTS


Social casinos such as DoubleDown Casino and Slotomania are easily found on Facebook posts and through google searches. These sites are free to join and play, so feel free to check them out and see what you can find. They are known for having some nice ‘gamification’ touches like achievements, avatars and premium purchase options (you can spend money, but just for cosmetic items!).

Demo mode slots are found on the majority of casino sites, but not all. Among those that we have reviewed and vetted, you can find free play slots at Spinson, Casumo and Spinit. Now and then, a site won’t allow demo without you being a member already, but by and large this is a free service that casinos are happy to offer. Check out any of our reviewed sites for inspiration. Ideally, try sites with a mixture of slot providers, so that you get to demo play a broader range of games, then decide which to play for real!